Jealousy isn't envy
by Cyane2000
Summary: Freed set up a rune trap. But Erza and Lucy end up in it. Now they are forced to admit their feelings. Or not? Erlu. One-shot with three chapters. oh well, the title doesn't have anything to do with the storyanymore. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Jealousy isn't envy**

 **Wow, it's been a while since I posted anything. Sorry, but I hope you'll enjoy this one-shot. I think I'm going to post more one-shots, because I can't seem to find a good idea for a multiple chapter story. Please, please send me prompts.**

 **Enjoy**

 **I do not own Fairy Tail.**

 **A/N: to understand this properly:**

 **Jealousy: a feeling of possession; fear someone might take away what you have**

 **Envy: To want something you don't have, but another.**

 **(I don't know if it's the same in English, so thought I'd clear up what they meant in this fic)**

In Magnolia, Fairy Tail, everything was going well, except for three people. The unhappiest at the moment was still lucky, considering the other two were locked with runes in the basement. The man in question, Freed Justine, was sulking on the stairs. Lucy and Erza, on the other hand, were angrily sitting in opposing corners and looking furiously at each other now and then. They didn't seem as if they were planning on saying something.

How did they get into such a situation?

Well, for starters, Lucy and Natsu had been hanging out abnormally long. It was normal for the two best friends to take jobs and be around each other, but lately, it was different. At least in Erza's eyes. Certainly since Lucy and her had grown so close lately. Stay-overs, strawberry cakes, confessions and a lot of fun had become daily habit. It was easily explained: neither woman had ever had a female friend. Lucy, being locked up in the Heartfilia Mansion, and Erza, enslaved in the Tower of Heaven and her later distance from her guildmates, they had found each other. One would never have expected it from them to be like two giggling, careless girls at night; they were quite the opposite alright.

But it was perfect. Three months passed, without a single fight or problem between them. Everybody always shook their heads smiling if the duo came in, so out of character no foe would have guessed they were Lucy Heartfilia and Erza Scarlet. Almost as if they were in love.

It was that same thought that occurred to Mirajane Strauss. It was odd, something she never anticipated, but once you suspected it, the couple was as obvious as Gajeel and Levy. They were best friends, always close, threw lingering gazes and whatever else you could imagine.

It was only logical Mira would bring it up; subtly confronting one of them. Her picked target was Lucy.

So, when one day, Lucy came in without Erza by her side, she took the opportunity.

"Good morning, Lucy. How are you?"

"Hi, Mira, I'm fine, thanks. And you?"

"I'm doing great. It's still early, so not many customers. I see you're alone today?"

Lucy waved oblivious and took a seat at the bar. "Yeah, Erza wanted to sleep in, so I thought I'd come by and perhaps pick a request for later."

"You're going with Erza, I suppose?"

"Yeah normally I am. Why do you ask?" Lucy stretched her hands behind her back, trying to wake up a little more.

Mira looked at her with those innocent eyes. "Well, you two seem to be hanging out so much lately, I wondered how come."

Lucy looked confused. "I don't know, we just grew close. She's fun and nice to talk to." Then she narrowed her eyelids. "Are you matchmaking again?"

Mirajane tilted her head a little. "What? Where did you get that idea?"

Lucy shook her head in response. She and Erza… She couldn't say she never thought about it, but never this concrete. Turning it this way made her blush at the idea. If she and Erza…

That night, she was lying in bed, unable to stop her train of thoughts. Erza was already asleep next to her, judging on her breathing pattern. The dark of the room made it easier to admit. Looking at the beautiful, kind face that smiled even in her sleep, calmed her down. She was very aware of her presence. The desire to hold her and caress her was overwhelming suddenly it shocked to the bone. But she did nothing, letting those feelings pass her by as she wondered where she got the strength to deny herself what she wanted the most. All she did that night was scoop just a little closer, let memories and sleep overwhelm her, only to dream about Erza.

The next day, she talked to Natsu about it and he was shocked, but later encouraging. She talked about Erza and her feelings for almost an hour. From Jellal to strawberry cake and the colour Scarlet, her mind was filled with the redheaded girl.

But at the same time, it was nerve-wrecking not to be with said girl. She wanted to be close to her, but only to be close and nothing more was torture. Above all, she wanted to make her happy. To do that, she should be a friend. To be a friend, she shouldn't have feelings for the other girl.

As a temporary solution, she started to talk to Erza less. They still were close and cosy, but the distance was necessary. It was necessary to hide her feelings, and yet, and yet, she wanted nothing more to tell her. To make a big gesture, a romantic one, grand and epic, and suddenly it would appear Erza was in love with her too. She fantasized countless times about such scenarios, but reality was an entirely different story. Reality was cruel. And still, it was so beautiful. Being close to Erza was a blessing, but something she had to restrain herself from.

Of course, Erza noticed. The redhead was hurt, but didn't show it. She couldn't describe her feelings for Lucy, but she couldn't deny them either. Erza accepted Lucy's sudden retreat. At the same time, she was jealous of Natsu for being her best friend. No. Not jealous; envious. She did not possess Lucy in any way.

That was their relationship as they were forced into a rune trap. They had cooled down, both angry at themselves.

As for the third person, he was the one that set the rune trap, of course. But it wasn't intended for Erza and Lucy.

Mirajane had noticed the situation between Erza and Lucy. The white-haired barmaid asked Lucy to get a bottle from the wine cellar; she'd told the Requip Mage that there was strawberry cake in the wine cellar. Both of them had fallen effortlessly for the trap.

But when Mirajane made sure no one else was in the said place, she overlooked one mage, somehow. She never thought a second of Freed as she locked the door and threw the key away. She knew well enough Erza could break out in a moment, but the situation hadn't escalated that far for Erza to destroy the door. She hoped.

So Freed was let in the basement, in the hopes of catching his secret crush. It was weird, but he coincidentally knew the person loved the particular wine he set the trap near.

He was walking up the stairs passing Lucy and Erza a moment later, but didn't thought anything about it. How big was the chance they would walk right in that spot?

But as he realized the door was locked and he couldn't get it open with any method, he waked back down, hoping the key would lie around somewhere.

He certainly did not expect the two women sitting there, moping and glaring.

Was it coincidence or not?

 **Well, what did you think? Was it coincidence or not?**

 **Please review? Sorry for this short part, but it's too late to write the entire fic at once and I really wanted to post something.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two:**

 **It's been a while, but I'm still mid-examinations. Hope you enjoy the second chapter. It turned out a lot different from what I intended to write. Oh, well; it'l be fine.**

 **I don't own Fairy Tail.**

 **Enjoy!**

When Lucy walked into the basement, her mind was yet again filled with Erza. How would she be doing? She barely talked to her at all the last three days. It was strange, not going to bed or waking up beside her, not eating, laughing and working together. She missed her with all her heart.

She was looking for the bottle of wine Mira had requested. Other footsteps resounded from the stairs. The pace and sounds revealed her it was Erza. What was she doing here? Lucy decided to ignore it and look for the wine, so she could be out of the cellar soon. But before she could even turn around, Erza stepped into the room, looking serious and heroic, like always. She usually carried a face like she was going to save the world.

"Lucy?" Erza was surprised, the blonde could here. Also, a hint of joy tinted her voice. It made her smile towards the other girl, and for a moment, it was just like a week earlier. The same feelings, memories and hope bubbled up. Erza smiled back, silently hoping she and Lucy could fix their problem – whatever it was.

Something broke the spell however, when Lucy looked down for just a second. She gazed at Erza again, who was hurt.

Lucy coughed a bit. "Do you know where the bottle wine of Merlin of the year X789 lies? Mira asked me to look for it, since she was really busy."

Erza raised an eyebrow. "It was busy upstairs? There were barely a dozen people there."

Lucy shrugged. "Why are you here, anyway?" That sounded a little more aggressive than she intended.

Erza's eyes begun to shine nonetheless, excitement clear. "Mira said there was a strawberry cake here."

Lucy sweatdropped. "In the wine cellar?"

The other girl looked serious again. "Yes. She said so."

"I think she lied."

"Why would she lie? It's cake we're talking about." Erza said matter-of-factly.

The blonde face-palmed. It was obvious to her now. "She set us up so we could talk, didn't she?"

The Requip Mage's eyes widened, only now realizing the situation. "Can we talk, then?"

"What about?"

"Why you stopped talking to me." The hurt was clear in Erza's voice and it made Lucy swallow. Maybe Titania wasn't as untouchable as everyone thought.

"I'm talking to you right now, aren't I?"

"Yesterday you didn't. And the day before that. And the day before that." Erza said, getting upset.

"Maybe I didn't want to talk to you." Ouch. Lucy regretted it the moment she spoke.

Erza didn't reply. She only sighed and pointed to the rack. "The wine's there. Let me help you."

"I've got it." Lucy didn't understand why she was being so harsh to the girl. She was just so pissed at herself, she didn't know what to do. When could she finally forget her feelings?

Erza followed her nonetheless, maybe it was her sixth sense telling something magical was in the room. Lucy didn't look back anymore, searching frantically for the bottle.

The moment her second foot stepped into the square, purple runes lit up from the ground to the top , surrounding them completely. Erza requipped a sword immediately, and Lucy reached for her keys. Nothing happened.

There was silence for a while. Erza sighed and let her sword disappear. "These are Freed's runes. I recognize them. Why did he set them up here?"

Lucy didn't answer. She was sure she heard someone approaching them. "Erza, I think someone's walking down the stairs."

Erza nodded. "It's Freed. He'd better have a good explanation."

Freed entered the room, too, moping and sulking a little, but he looked at the two woman. "What are you two doing here? I thought you left!"

"You greeted us on the stairs." Erza stated flatly. "Mind to tell us why this trap is here?"

Freed swallowed hard. Titania's glare made his blood freeze. His entire plan was ruined. "It was for… a friend. He asked to do this so he would get a chance with the one he's in love with." He quickly reacted. It wasn't a whole lie.

"What are the rules to get out?" Erza demanded. She didn't feel exactly like staying with Lucy now the blonde refused to talk and open up to her.

Freed blushed. "You have to kiss one another."

Oh Hiro.

"That is not happening!" Lucy shouted from the corner where she was sitting depressed. What had she done to deserve this?

"You'll have to, if you want to get out of here."

"I'm not kissing Erza!"

The redhead was more than a little getting impatient about the whole situation. "Freed, you can just undo the runes, can't you?"

"No, it doesn't work that way. I'm really sorry for this, but there is no way around it."

"If I get out of here, you're so dead." Lucy threatened. She glanced at Erza. "I'm not going to kiss you."

Erza was angry now. "Why not?"

"Because I don't want to!"

"Do you want to get out of here or not? It's just a quick kiss." Erza glared at Freed again. "Or did you involve some rules around the kiss, too?"

Freed paled. That meant a yes. "Well, to be honest, there has to be some… tongue in it." He ducked away, afraid that Erza's anger would break the runes and would smash him to the wall.

"And it has to take some time. I don't know how long exactly, but for over a minute. These composing and limiting matters are really unstable."

Both Erza and Lucy were shocked. "How desperate are you?"

The painful situation dured for a while, until Erza dismissed Freed. "Lucy and I need to talk. Please wait on the stairs until we're finished."

After he left, she sat down too. "Now we're forced to do this, maybe we can talk about it?" she suggested.

"There's nothing to talk about. How can you be so calm about all this?"

Erza shrugged. "I don't know. Look, I miss you, Lucy. We've grown so close and now you're pushing me away. You've been spending a lot of time with Natsu instead of with me. I feel left out."

Lucy started to feel hope making its way to her steadily, sneaking up her chest. "Are you jealous?"

"Do I have a reason to be? I don't possess you, Lucy, but it bothers me you're so distant."

"I'm sorry. It wasn't intended. But I just like the guy a lot, and I told him something I can never tell you." She blurted out too much. Gah, Lucy. Way to make Erza curious.

But the redhead didn't ask further. "I understand. But whatever it is, it doesn't have anything to do with me surely, so why the distance?"

"What if it has to do something with you?"

Erza looked up. "What could you be hiding from me? We are nakama."

Lucy grinned mischievously. "Kiss me and I'll tell you."

"You were the one with problems kissing me." Erza frowned.

"It's just a kiss. Nothing I haven't done before. I want to get out of here." She was bluffing kind of obviously, but Erza didn't seem to notice.

"Who did you kiss before?"

"None of your business." Lucy stuck out her tongue.

Erza was struggling with herself. Part wanted to know who, another part wanted to walk away from all this. Except that wasn't a possibility.

"Do I know him?" she couldn't stop herself.

"Who said it wasn't a girl." Lucy winked. She thought herself unbelievably daring now.

"Was it?"

Lucy didn't answer anymore. She started an entirely new topic. "Did you ever kiss someone?"

Erza looked away nostalgically. "Jellal."

Immediately, a feeling so strong and burning hot soared through Lucy. She looked in Erza's eyes and saw understanding. She then knew Erza had felt the same way moments ago.

It was jealousy.

"Well, let's get this over with then." Grinning foolishly. Planning to completely overwhelm and seduce Erza with one kiss. She walked over and Erza stood up too. She seemed agitated.

"Don't do it, Lucy. We'll think of another way. I'm sure I can manage to break these." Erza wanted to chicken out at the last moment, huh? It was not going to happen.

"Now suddenly? Why haven't you done it before then?" Lucy approached in a predator like way, while Erza stood stiffly straight, trying to keep her composure. Lucy now stood very close. Too close. She grabbed Erza's hands and with surprising strength she pinned them above her head. Erza was too mesmerised to resist. Lucy almost oozed sexuality now.

Their feet, knees and even middle were touching. Erza tried to retreat, but stood against a rune-wall. Lucy brought her lips to Erza's ear. "I'll make you forget all about Jellal."

Then she looked her in the eyes, and Lucy's poured over with love and want at the same time. Teasingly, she let their noses touching, their lips almost grazing each other, but not quite yet. She smiled when Erza's breath hitched. Just the tiniest movement would make them kiss, but neither wanted to give in so soon. Who would hold out the longest?

It was sweet, sweet torture for Lucy. She had purposely reached the situation, and had promised herself that if Erza kissed her first, she would confess. If not, at least she'd get a kiss. It had seemed like a good plan when plenty of distance was between them, but she hardy could hold back, feeling Erza's breath on her lips. She wanted it so badly…

Screw her plan. But in the lightning second she needed to take a move, Erza swiftly broke Lucy's grip, took her in her arms and kissed her.

Wow. It was meant to be a hot, fiery, dominating kiss, ended up in a kiss filled with gentleness, care and love. Erza's lips were soft, lingering and pure bliss. Lucy's knew went weak, but Erza held her closely.

A sensual tongue slowly made her way to her lips, and Lucy moaned slightly. Erza herself almost fell from the sound, and decide it would be better if they lay down. She carefully placed Lucy onto the ground.

There was no denying it anymore. No laughing it off, no ignoring it. It was happening, and it changed everything.

Somehow, minutes later, they were still on the ground, but Erza's blouse was half untied and Lucy's vest was long discarded. Erza's hands were roaming Lucy's body, fingertips touching and feeling. Lucy had put her arms around Erza's neck, as if she could even be closer. Erza and Lucy were both smiling into the kiss, when Lucy decided to roll them around so she could be on top. She wanted to kiss and cherish every part of Erza.

But Erza suddenly pushed her back after a couple more feathery kisses. Still in a daze, Lucy wondered why she had stopped. How could anyone stop now? She pouted and Erza had to laugh at the cute blonde.

"Lucy. We weren't stopped by the runes."

She sat up, so Lucy was actually straddling her lap, and looked to where they had originally begun to kiss and lost themselves in each other.

It was obvious the runes had dissolved ages ago.

They looked at each other insecurely, not knowing where they stood.

Erza awkwardly stood up and brushed her clothes off. Lucy quickly followed. Erza smiled at her. "I'll go get Freed and make sure we're out of here." She walked away, leaving Lucy ho was still a bit disorientated from the kiss. Holy Hiro, what a kiss! Why had she never known Erza had such a skilled tongue? And her body…

Stop.

She didn't know what it meant. Maybe Erza really only did it because of the runes. "But we kissed…"

"We sure did." A grinning Erza had come to fetch her, and now grabbed her hand tightly to go up.

We sure did.

 **Please review?**

 **Wow. Every time I read my own fics, I'm like: they aren't bringing over the feelings I wanted to. But maybe that's because they're my own :/**

 **Question: Should I be more descriptive or go faster with the stories. In other fics, they explain a lot more feelings and such, but maybe I should do that more? I'm also not realy one for slow burn either…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three:**

 **Thanks for all the reviews. Last chapter. Why do I have the feeling this story doesn't really have anything to do with the title? I suck at titles, especially since I don't plan my stories and they end totally differently from what I intend.**

 **I am in need of prompts. Please send me some? I feel like I need some sentences or quotes or images to be inspired by now, because the manga has gone kind of dark since Tartaros. Maybe I'll write more dark fics...**

 **Whaddya say?**

 **I don't own Fairy Tail.**

 **Enjoy!**

In Lucy's house, that same evening, said blonde was about to go to bed. It had been a long tiring day, full of emotions and drama. Nothing she couldn't handle, but she didn't sleep well anymore since Erza didn't come over anymore. They both acted as if nothing out of the ordinary happened after the kiss.

Except for…

Well, everything actually. Okay, maybe they hadn't behaved normally. But if you thought about it, they never had from the beginning. It was Lucy's fault; she loved to flirt and adore. But now it had been more serious. They'd talked a little, playfully pushed and poked, and Lucy could just feel Erza's gaze on her when she was talking to Mira or anyone else.

It reached her all too powerful. She'd done her best to ignore them, but she just shivered every time the eyes looked at her. It was a look of possession, something entirely new.

Erza was kind of possessively, but before it had limited to cake and armour. Now every time she coincidentally looked back – which happened too much if you thought about it – the burning eyes saw through her soul.

She sighed. Her promise to confess if Erza kissed first still hadn't been fulfilled. It just didn't seem the right time to go all out. She needed time to think.

Suddenly, a feeling of despise came over her. Determination filled her head, and she decided right that instant to go to the girl and confess.

She stood up, quickly changed her clothes with lightning speed and violently stormed through her apartment. She knocked the door open with brutal force, but the energy and adrenaline coursing through her veins needed venting.

But at the other side at the door, something she didn't expect at all stood indecisively waiting. It was Erza. She looked as if she'd been standing there forever.

"Lucy?" she asked.

"Erza. What are you doing here?"

"I…" the redhead started. "I couldn't sleep and wondered if you'd mind if I stayed over."

Lucy smiled cheerfully. "Of course. I was actually just on my way to you."

"Oh, really? Why?"

"I uhm… I wanted to talk to you."

Erza walked upstairs, and it was oddly satisfying to see her so comfortable in her home. It was just so familiar, and there wasn't even awkwardness between them. In her room, she quickly exquipped her armour and sat on the chair at her bureau.

"What is it you want to discuss?" Erza was curious, but didn't have a clue what was about to happen. Lucy wondered what Erza's feelings about the kiss were. Maybe it was just the spur of the moment.

"Remember what we talked about in the basement? I said I couldn't tell you something? I think I'm ready now."

At the mention of 'the basement' a smile started to form on Erza's face, but it quickly vanished when Lucy's voice ended low.

"I'm glad you can tell me now. I don't want anything to stand between us."

Lucy swallowed hard. "Maybe this will come to stand between us. That's why I never wanted to tell you before."

Erza shook her head. "No matter what this is, Lucy, we will survive. I know that."

"Erza." Lucy didn't have words for it. She saw the light in the redhead's eyes and gained the courage, because she was so damn worth everything.

"I'm in love with you." She closely watched Erza's face, hoping for some kind of reaction. Erza's eyes only widened slightly. She continued nonetheless.

"I'm in love with you, Erza, and I realized it four days ago. That day, I talked to Natsu, but three days ago, I'd given up. Fighting my feelings, I mean. It just hurt to be around you. So I decided to take distance for our sake."

Lucy paused for a bit, still hoping for a reaction. Erza only sat there, a smile playing around the corners of her lips, and Lucy knew she had to continue her story.

"I'm really sorry for that. You're my friend and didn't deserve it. And this afternoon… I promised myself I would tell you after our kiss. I'm really in love with you, Erza. I have missed you those three days and never want to miss you again. Please, say something."

Erza was standing now. She walked to Lucy, pass after pass. Intimacy growing, hearts beating, no sound heard. They stood opposite. Lucy and Erza. Watching. Waiting. Meeting each other's gazes and looking away.

Within a split second, Erza pulled Lucy in a warm hug. The sudden move made her stiffen and relax only an instant later. She put her arms around Erza's waist. This was... unbelievable.

Erza's lips softly grazed her neck once, before she could feel the breath slide higher up her ear.

"I'm in love with you too, Lucy." The implications sent shivers up Lucy's spine.

She pulled back just enough so they could face each other. Erza smiled softly, caressing her with those warm brown eyes.

"I think I've fallen for you a while ago. When we started to grow so close…"

Lucy felt the same way. "Do you think we'll stay together?"

Erza smiled gently once again. Lucy did too, but only with her eyes. If she smiled now, she wasn't sure if she could stop. It was going fast, so fast the stupid happiness had yet to overwhelm her; all she felt now was calm and peaceful.

"I can't even imagine why we wouldn't." Erza's reply was filled with confidence – in herself and Lucy, and them together.

Lucy giggled softly. Then she closed her eyes and slowly, slowly connected her lips with Erza. It was a chaste kiss, with all their feelings in it. It was a slow kiss, a burning one that could last forever. Lucy felt so loved and lovingly that it felt like a dream. She tried to part with Erza, but the redhead continued to kiss her and led Lucy's lips only back to her, impossible to resist.

Neither could say how long it lasted. The magic was etched into both their hearts, and wouldn't leave them alone. The longing they had held down was suddenly released and the kisses they shared was only a vague shadow of what was yet to come.

Lucy knew they would have problems, and fights and even tears, but she also knew she and Erza weren't the type to give up now, especially with their feelings. And even if she got hurt, even if their happiness would only last for a moment, she already knew it was totally worth it.

 **The End**

 **Please review?**


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